NHAI Moves HC, Seeks Resumption Of Operations Of 13 Toll Plazas In Punjab

The statutory body, which was formulated under the NHAI Act, 1988 for the development, maintenance and management of national highways, also pointed out that it has been facing a daily loss of Rs 1.33 crore because of the prevention of toll collection by the protesters.

NHAI's counsel Chetan Mittal said the petitioner has demanded that the operations of the toll plazas should be resumed at the earliest.

The petition, which has been filed against the state of Punjab, the director general of police and the deputy commissioners of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Barnala, Pathankot, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Ferozepur, among others, has submitted that 13 toll plazas in the state have been forcibly taken over by the protesters and the toll collection has stopped at 12 of those.

At Kot Karor in Ferozepur, the protesters have allegedly taken over the toll plaza and are illegally operating it, the petition says.

"The situation is so grave that there is no maintenance of law and order and the staff and the properties of the toll plazas have been vandalised as much as the toll plazas have been completely occupied by the protesters," it says.

The protesters have been preventing the toll collection, resulting in a significant loss of revenue to the government, the petitioner has submitted.

"It is estimated that the daily loss is around Rs 1.33 crore," the petition says.

A total loss of Rs 26.6 crore has been incurred by the NHAI till date, it says.

In the petition, the NHAI has prayed for directions to authorities to take active steps for the restoration of law and order and to facilitate and support it in the toll fee collection from the toll plazas in Punjab by providing security and administrative assistance.

It has also sought appropriate orders for the immediate resumption of toll collection at these toll plazas.

Mittal said observing that it is a serious matter, Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj has sent the case to a division bench.

The next date of hearing in the matter is January 12.

A farmers' body has been staging protests at various toll plazas in Punjab since December 15, demanding farm loan waiver, remunerative prices for crops and compensation for crop damage.

-With PTI Input